Nicole Zitzmann | University of Oxford (original) (raw)

Papers by Nicole Zitzmann

Nature, Oct 1, 2018

Nature Research wishes to improve the reproducibility of the work that we publish. This form prov... more Nature Research wishes to improve the reproducibility of the work that we publish. This form provides structure for consistency and transparency in reporting. For further information on Nature Research policies, see Authors & Referees and the Editorial Policy Checklist.

Scientific Reports, Jun 10, 2019

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) viroporin p7 oligomerizes to form ion channels, which are required fo... more The hepatitis C virus (HCV) viroporin p7 oligomerizes to form ion channels, which are required for the assembly and secretion of infectious viruses. The 63-amino acid p7 monomer has two putative transmembrane domains connected by a cytosolic loop, and has both N-and C-termini exposed to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen. NMR studies have indicated differences between p7 structures of distantly related HCV genotypes. A critical question is whether these differences arise from the high sequence variation between the different isolates and if so, how the divergent structures can support similar biological functions. Here, we present a side-by-side characterization of p7 derived from genotype 1b (isolate J4) in the detergent 6-cyclohexyl-1-hexylphosphocholine (Cyclofos-6) and p7 derived from genotype 5a (isolate EUH1480) in n-dodecylphosphocholine (DPC). The 5a isolate p7 in conditions previously associated with a disputed oligomeric form exhibits secondary structure, dynamics, and solvent accessibility broadly like those of the monomeric 1b isolate p7. The largest differences occur at the start of the second transmembrane domain, which is destabilized in the 5a isolate. The results show a broad consensus among the p7 variants that have been studied under a range of different conditions and indicate that distantly related HCVs preserve key features of structure and dynamics. Approximately 3% of the world's population carries the hepatitis C virus (HCV), putting more than 200 million people at risk of developing severe liver diseases 1-3. HCV displays high genetic heterogeneity and is classified into eight genotypes (gt 1-8) and more than a hundred subtypes 4-8. The polyprotein precursor is expressed from a 9.6 kb positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome ((+) ssRNA)) and is co-and post-translationally cleaved by cellular and viral proteases to produce at least ten viral proteins 9-11. In the HCV polyprotein precursor, p7 lies between the structural and non-structural proteins. It is essential for the assembly and secretion of infectious viral particles in vitro 12-16 and for virus propagation in vivo 17 , making it an attractive therapeutic target 18. HCV p7 is a small, hydrophobic protein comprising 63 amino acids 19. The structural properties of p7 constructs derived from 1b genotypes have been widely investigated using a range of approaches 18 , including electron microscopy (EM) 20-22 , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) 23-31 , and molecular modeling 22,24,32-36. The various NMR studies of monomeric p7 suggest a similar architecture that is in broad agreement with secondary structure prediction from its amino-acid sequence, namely two hydrophobic transmembrane (TM) regions separated by a conserved basic loop region 9,19. Analytical ultracentrifugation measurements suggest that p7 self-assembly results predominantly in hexameric and heptameric viroporins, shown in electrophysiology experiments to be cation selective 23. Computational modeling studies of p7 predict that the monomeric protein adopts hairpin-like structures, which then associate side-by-side with the N-terminal TM helix forming the channel pore 22,24,32,34-36 .

Molecular Membrane Biology, May 23, 2011

Pathogens, Mar 1, 2023

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

None of the current data processing pipelines for X-ray crystallography fragment-based lead disco... more None of the current data processing pipelines for X-ray crystallography fragment-based lead discovery (FBLD) consults all the information available when deciding on the lattice and symmetry (i.e., the polymorph) of each soaked crystal. Often, X-ray crystallography FBLD pipelines either choose the polymorph based on cell volume and point-group symmetry of the X-ray diffraction data or leave polymorph attribution to manual intervention on the part of the user. Thus, when the FBLD crystals belong to more than one crystal polymorph, the discovery pipeline can be plagued by space group ambiguity, especially if the polymorphs at hand are variations of the same lattice and, therefore, difficult to tell apart from their morphology and/or their apparent crystal lattices and point groups. In the course of a fragment-based lead discovery effort aimed at finding ligands of the catalytic domain of UDP–glucose glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT), we encountered a mixture of trigonal crystals ...

The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) glycoprotein folding Quality Control (ERQC) machinery aids folding... more The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) glycoprotein folding Quality Control (ERQC) machinery aids folding of glycoproteins in the ER. Misfolded glycoprotein recognition and ER-retention is mediated by the ERQC checkpoint enzyme, the 170 kDa UDP-Glucose glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT). UGGT modulation is a promising strategy for broad-spectrum antivirals, rescue-of-secretion therapy in rare disease caused by responsive mutations in glycoprotein genes, and many cancers, but to date no selective UGGT inhibitors are known. Towards the generation of selective UGGT inhibitors, we determined the crystal structures of the catalytic domain of Chaetomium thermophilum UGGT (CtUGGTGT24), alone and in complex with the inhibitor UDP-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (U2F). Using the CtUGGTGT24 crystals, we carried out a fragment-based lead discovery screen via X-ray crystallography and discovered that the small molecule 5-[(morpholin-4-yl)methyl]quinolin-8-ol (5M-8OH-Q) binds a CtUGGTGT24 ‘WY’ conserved...

Plant Biotechnology Journal, 2021

SummaryChronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a leading cause of liver‐related pa... more SummaryChronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a leading cause of liver‐related pathologies and a global health problem, currently affecting more than 71 million people worldwide. The development of a prophylactic vaccine is much needed to complement the effective antiviral treatment available and achieve HCV eradication. Current strategies focus on increasing the immunogenicity of the HCV envelope glycoprotein E2, the major target of virus‐neutralizing antibodies, by testing various expression systems or manipulating the protein conformation and the N‐glycosylation pattern. Here we report the first evidence of successful production of the full‐length HCV E2 glycoprotein in Nicotiana benthamiana, by using the Agrobacterium‐mediated transient expression technology. Molecular and functional analysis showed that the viral protein was correctly processed in plant cells and achieved the native folding required for binding to CD81, one of the HCV receptors. N‐glycan analysi...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2020

Significance The glycosylation of proteins is a major protein modification that occurs extensivel... more Significance The glycosylation of proteins is a major protein modification that occurs extensively in eukaryotes. Glycosidases in the secretory pathway that trim N-linked glycans play key roles in protein quality control and in the specific modifications leading to mature glycoproteins. Inhibition of glucosidases in the secretory pathway is a proven therapeutic strategy, that holds great promise in the treatment of viral disease. The enzyme endo-α-1,2-mannosidase (MANEA) provides an alternative processing pathway to evade glucosidase inhibitors. We report the three-dimensional structure of human MANEA and complexes with enzyme inhibitors that we show act as antivirals for bovine viral diarrhea and human dengue viruses. The structure of MANEA will support inhibitor optimization and the development of more potent antivirals.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2019

Claudins regulate paracellular permeability in different tissues. The claudin-binding domain of C... more Claudins regulate paracellular permeability in different tissues. The claudin-binding domain of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (cCPE) is a known modulator of a claudin subset. However, it does not efficiently bind to claudin-1 (Cldn1). Cldn1 is a pharmacological target since it is (i) an essential co-receptor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and (ii) a key element of the epidermal barrier limiting drug delivery. In this study, we investigated the potential of a Cldn1-binding cCPE mutant (i) to inhibit HCV entry into hepatocytes and (ii) to open the epidermal barrier. Inhibition of HCV infection by blocking of Cldn1 with cCPE variants was analyzed in the Huh7.5 hepatoma cell line. A model of reconstructed human epidermis was used to investigate modulation of the epidermal barrier by cCPE variants. In contrast to cCPEwt, the Cldn1-binding cCPE-S305P/S307R/S313H inhibited infection of Huh7.5 cells with HCV in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, TJ modulation by cCPE varian...

Scientific Reports, 2019

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018

Small molecule modulators of the Endoplasmic Reticulum glycoprotein folding quality control (ERQC... more Small molecule modulators of the Endoplasmic Reticulum glycoprotein folding quality control (ERQC) machinery have broad-spectrum antiviral activity against a number of enveloped viruses and have the potential to rescue secretion of misfolded but active glycoproteins in rare diseases. In vivo assays of candidate inhibitors in mammals are expensive and cannot be afforded at the preliminary stages of drug development programs. The strong conservation of the ERQC machinery across eukaryotes makes transgenic plants an attractive system for low-cost, easy and fast proof-of-concept screening of candidate ERQC inhibitors. The Arabidopsis thaliana immune response is mediated by glycoproteins, the folding of which is controlled by ERQC. We have used the plant response to bacterial peptides as a means of assaying an ERQC inhibitor in vivo. We show that the treatment of the plant with the iminosugar NB-DNJ, which is a known ER α-glucosidase inhibitor in mammals, influences the immune response o...

Critical reviews in microbiology, 2017

Influenza virus causes three to five million severe respiratory infections per year in seasonal e... more Influenza virus causes three to five million severe respiratory infections per year in seasonal epidemics, and sporadic pandemics, three of which occurred in the twentieth century and are a continuing global threat. Currently licensed antivirals exclusively target the viral neuraminidase or M2 ion channel, and emerging drug resistance necessitates the development of novel therapeutics. It is believed that a host-targeted strategy may combat the development of antiviral drug resistance. To this end, a class of molecules known as iminosugars, hydroxylated carbohydrate mimics with the endocyclic oxygen atom replaced by a nitrogen atom, are being investigated for their broad-spectrum antiviral potential. The influenza virus glycoproteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, are susceptible to inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum α-glucosidases by certain iminosugars, leading to reduced virion production or infectivity, demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies. In some experiments, viral...

Biochemical Society transactions, Jan 15, 2017

Many viruses require the host endoplasmic reticulum protein-folding machinery in order to correct... more Many viruses require the host endoplasmic reticulum protein-folding machinery in order to correctly fold one or more of their glycoproteins. Iminosugars with glucose stereochemistry target the glucosidases which are key for entry into the glycoprotein folding cycle. Viral glycoproteins are thus prevented from interacting with the protein-folding machinery leading to misfolding and an antiviral effect against a wide range of different viral families. As iminosugars target host enzymes, they should be refractory to mutations in the virus. Iminosugars therefore have great potential for development as broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutics. We outline the mechanism giving rise to the antiviral activity of iminosugars, the current progress in the development of iminosugar antivirals and future prospects for this field.

Journal of virology, Jan 15, 2017

The formation of a correctly folded and natively glycosylated HIV-1 viral spike is dependent on p... more The formation of a correctly folded and natively glycosylated HIV-1 viral spike is dependent on protease cleavage of the gp160 precursor protein in the Golgi apparatus. Cleavage induces a compact structure which not only renders the spike capable of fusion but also limits further maturation of its extensive glycosylation. The redirection of the glycosylation pathway to preserve underprocessed oligomannose-type glycans is an important feature in immunogen design, as glycans contribute to or influence the epitopes of numerous broadly neutralizing antibodies. Here we present a quantitative site-specific analysis of a recombinant, trimeric mimic of the native HIV-1 viral spike (BG505 SOSIP.664) compared to the corresponding uncleaved pseudotrimer and the matched gp120 monomer. We present a detailed molecular map of a trimer-associated glycan remodeling that forms a localized subdomain of the native mannose patch. The formation of native trimers is a critical design feature in shaping th...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2016

Significance Most pathogenic enveloped viruses crucially depend on the quality control (QC) machi... more Significance Most pathogenic enveloped viruses crucially depend on the quality control (QC) machinery in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of the host cell. ERQC inhibitors therefore have the double potential benefit of targeting a wide variety of viruses (“broad-spectrum antivirals”) without the risk of losing efficacy due to escape mutations in the viral genome. Our recent work has proven that inhibition of the central enzyme of ERQC, α-glucosidase II (α-GluII), is sufficient for antiviral activity against dengue fever in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show how antiviral inhibitors bind to portions of α-GluII that are unique to this enzyme, and we open the way to the development of potent and selective antivirals against existing and emerging infectious disease.

PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2016

It has long been thought that iminosugar antiviral activity is a function of inhibition of endopl... more It has long been thought that iminosugar antiviral activity is a function of inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum-resident α-glucosidases, and on this basis, many iminosugars have been investigated as therapeutic agents for treatment of infection by a diverse spectrum of viruses, including dengue virus (DENV). However, iminosugars are glycomimetics possessing a nitrogen atom in place of the endocyclic oxygen atom, and the ubiquity of glycans in host metabolism suggests that multiple pathways can be targeted via iminosugar treatment. Successful treatment of patients with glycolipid processing defects using iminosugars highlights the clinical exploitation of iminosugar inhibition of enzymes other than ER α-glucosidases. Evidence correlating antiviral activity with successful inhibition of ER glucosidases together with the exclusion of alternative mechanisms of action of iminosugars in the context of DENV infection is limited. Celgosivir, a bicyclic iminosugar evaluated in phase Ib clin...

The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 2015

Drugs that target host cell processes can be employed to complement drugs that specifically targe... more Drugs that target host cell processes can be employed to complement drugs that specifically target viruses, and iminosugar compounds that inhibit host α-glucosidases have been reported to show antiviral activity against multiple viruses. Here the effect and mechanism of two iminosugar α-glucosidase inhibitors, N-butyl-deoxynojirimycin (NB-DNJ) and N-nonyl-deoxynojirimycin (NN-DNJ), on human influenza A viruses was examined. The viruses examined were a recently circulating seasonal influenza A(H3N2) virus strain A/Brisbane/10/2007, an older H3N2 strain A/Udorn/307/72, and A/Lviv/N6/2009, a strain representative of the currently circulating pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. The inhibitors had the strongest effect on Brisbane/10 and NN-DNJ was more potent than NB-DNJ. Both compounds showed antiviral activity in cell culture against three human influenza A viruses in a strain-specific manner. Consistent with its action as an α-glucosidase inhibitor, NN-DNJ treatment resulted in an ...

Phytochemistry, 2015

Fourteen iminosugars were isolated from Castanospermum australe. Our side-by-side comparison betw... more Fourteen iminosugars were isolated from Castanospermum australe. Our side-by-side comparison between bicyclic and corresponding monocyclic iminosugars revealed that inhibition potency and spectrum are clearly changed by their core structures against each enzyme. Highlights The isolation and structure determination of 14 iminosugars from C. australe. New alkaloid was determined to be 6,8-diepi-castanosper-1